


Naivete

by pipisafoat



Series: Abby Lyman [10]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: American Politics, Gen, Gun Control, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 15:05:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13413804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pipisafoat/pseuds/pipisafoat
Summary: While Josh is away getting his new service dog, Donna is holding the office together and meeting with Senators.(If you've been reading in posting order, you know how Donna's job goes - this is a slice of how she gets there.)





	Naivete

**Author's Note:**

> Content Notes: discussion of gun control, guns, gun violence

"Josh Lyman's assistant is here," she hears in the next room, and she brushes off her skirt nervously as the voice continues. "Donna Moss."

"Right," the senator replies. "I thought we canceled the meeting with Josh being ... ah, out of town."

Someone shuffles papers, and Donna uncrosses her legs, leaning casually on the arm of her chair closer to the office door. Anything she can overhear now could come in useful either during this meeting or for Josh's use when he gets back. "Leo McGarry asked that we meet with this Donna instead since the bill is coming up soon. He said she's up to speed on it and can speak for Josh's office."

She fights to keep the grin from surfacing on her face. Leo said that about her? Of course, she's always up to speed on whatever Josh is working on, but it's entirely unheard of for an assistant to speak for someone's office outside of scheduling. 

"What do we know about her?"

The senator's aide shuffles more papers. "She's young and blonde," he says dismissively. "I've never heard any proof for that rumor floating around the Beltway, but I've heard she's far too loyal to Lyman for just an assistant. No college education, no experience in Washington. McGarry didn't even bother saying that she's a kid gloves person. Scuttlebutt says she can't hold her liquor, either, and you do have beer in the mini fridge."

Donna shifts again to relax back in her chair, recrossing her legs. This aide wasn't in Iowa when she drank Toby Ziegler under the table, and he's clearly never taken a weekend crash course in dealing with Congress put on by Josh, Leo, and the President. If watching Josh at work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week for the past three years hadn't been enough already, she also now has more potentially embarrassing gossip on each of her meetings than a pack of middle school girls. 

"Donna, I'm Jack Sloan," a voice says suddenly, and Donna purposefully doesn't hide the way she jumps. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Senator Sloan looks like every guy her father ever played golf with - sixties, silver mustache, and no other memorable features. "Senator," she greets with a smile, standing and offering her hand after smoothing down her skirt. "I'm sorry. I was just ... This is my first meeting in a senator's office. It's just so grand!" She's been in senators' offices for Josh's meetings, but she glosses over that fact to make her eyes as wide as possible. 

"Well, welcome," Sloan replies, shaking her hand and ushering her into his inner office. "There's no need to be intimidated, of course. We're both Democrats! Now, can I get you a drink?"

"Oh, that's so kind. I'd love a glass of water, Senator." The longer he underestimates her, the better. He may be a Democrat, but he's far too conservative for the gun bill to have his support yet. 

"Stan, get Donna a glass of ice water, please. Donna, I hear you're here to discuss the bill Josh has been championing for the past two months?"

She hesitates, then smiles with as much naïveté as she can muster. According to both Josh and Margaret, it's more effective on her than on a newborn kitten. "Yes, and ... well, Senator, it's just that ... I mean, I know you're a busy man, but I was hoping you could explain a couple of things to me before we really get into the reason for the meeting. Working with Josh is just amazing, of course, but sometimes I can't understand...." She shrugs helplessly and smiles up at Sloan through her eyelashes. 

"I have some time, Donna. I'd be glad to help explain whatever it is to you. And please, call me Jack."

She's glad Sloan isn't one of the sleazier senators; the look on his face is triumph mixed with paternal care instead of sexual desire. She's not above exploiting someone's desire for political gain, but it's easier this way. "Oh, thank you so much, Senator ... Jack. Josh is so good at explaining his side of things, but sometimes I think he'd rather I not try to understand the other side. I just wish I understood why this bill is contentious."

Sloan leans back in his chair and crosses his legs, resting his hands on his knee. "I imagine this is one topic you can't discuss rationally in this White House," he says sympathetically. "I certainly don't want to make light of the shooting last year, especially given where Josh is this week, but I and many others believe that the White House is overreacting on gun control since then. There's a problem, I agree, but I disagree on the solution.

"Josh and the rest of the Bartlet boys will tell you that restricting gun sales will keep guns out of criminals' hands and reduce gun crimes. Is that right?"

"That's very close to his exact words," Donna tells him - the only difference was that Josh had included 'hopefully'. She knows nothing would be a perfect solution, though. 

Sloan smiles at her and nods encouragingly. "It does sound good in theory. I'm more than willing to admit that, Donna. In fact, if the measures on this bill would do exactly that and not hurt honest Americans in the process, I would not just vote for it, I'd be a cosponsor. Whatever you might hear about conservative Democrats, I'm not a monster by any means."

"I don't think you are!" she blurts, suddenly worried. "Nobody has ever said you're a monster, Senator. Nobody."

Sloan's smile is so much like her father's that her breath catches for a second. "Thank you. I wasn't terribly worried though," he reassures her gently, and Donna thanks God that she's using her naive act for this meeting. That unplanned outburst fits in perfectly with her assumed persona. 

"So you think it won't help, or that it'll hurt innocent people?" she asks, trying to get the conversation back on track. 

"Unfortunately, I believe it will do both. A few places have this level of restrictions locally, and their crime rates haven't changed, so that shows the uselessness of these measures. As far as hurting innocent people, well, many of my constituents need guns for their food or livelihood. Until we ensure they won't be harmed ... I'm sure you can see my dilemma."

So, nothing she didn't expect. "I think I do, sir. Jack. Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions about it, though?" He spreads his hands in invitation, and she debates pulling out her notes briefly. No, she has the feeling it'll have more impact without specifics or references. Josh laughs at her intuition, but he's never ignored it, and she won't either. "I'm sure you won't be surprised to know that I've heard some counter arguments."

"And you'd like to hear my response to them?" Sloan asks. "Sure thing. If you'd like any reading on it, Stan can print out whatever you'd like at the end of the meeting."

She's actually pretty sure she has all of his 'proof' in her bag. "That's very generous, Senator."

"I'm more than happy to help one of our younger party members learn her way around." His smile is so genuine that she almost feels bad for the way she's about to school him. Almost. 

“I’ve read the bill, and it only limits certain kinds of guns being sold to the general population,” she offers as her first point.

Sloan nods. “Most Republicans would argue that any limitation is a direct violation of the bill of rights, Donna. The second amendment says that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.’ They believe that restricting the types of guns allowed goes against that amendment.”

“My understanding of that amendment - and of course, I’m not a lawyer or a judge,” she adds with a small, nervous-sounding laugh, “is that the purpose of the guns is for a militia to ensure the people remain free from tyranny.”

He nods again with a smile. “Exactly. Why would the government restrict certain guns from the general population but supply them to the military, if not to prevent an uprising and ensure the power over the people remains with the government?”

It’s a very logical point, but it overlooks a lot of realities. “To prevent gun violence, which is already out of hand,” she replies confidently.

Sloan nods again, and Donna wonders if that’s his response to anybody he debates. “It is, and— Donna, let me tell you first that I don’t believe gun laws violate the Bill of Rights and secondly that you’ll never find defense from tyranny in any of my speeches or platforms. Those two arguments are the main Republican responses, which is why I’m explaining them to you, but they aren’t my responses. We’ve arrived at my argument, though. Gun violence is out of hand. When someone accosts you in a dark alley or breaks into your home, you don’t know what kind of weapon they have hidden on their person. What would you prefer, a world where the law abiding citizen is attacked by illegal guns with no way to protect themselves, or a world where the law abiding citizen is able to pull a gun in return and escape with their life?”

Exactly the argument she expected. “By that logic, let’s just make everything legal. Drugs, guns, embezzling—“

He laughs, but the sound isn’t unkind. “Donna, nobody uses marijuana at you and harms you. I understand that was just an example and that you haven’t had the prep time I have on this subject, but I’m sure you see how ridiculous that comparison is.” She nods, fully aware from before she said it that he’d react this way, but it was calculated to pull his guard down even further. “I’m not unreasonable. I agree with some of this bill, but not all of it. I believe that the founding fathers had no way of foreseeing the technological advances we have today, and that includes in weaponry. Fully automatic weapons aren’t made for protection, and they have no place in a home. See, we can agree on that, can’t we?”

“Absolutely,” she says with more feeling than necessary. “But Senator, what about semi-automatic weapons?”

“And now we reach a point of disagreement,” Sloan says quietly. “How much do you know about the different types of semi-automatic guns?”

She leans back in her chair and widens her eyes. “I … not very much, Senator. Do you mean that they can be pistols, rifles, or shotguns?”

“No, although that’s an important point as well. I’m talking about open-bolt versus closed-bolt, recoil vs blowback operation, auto loading, selective-fire…. Do you know any of that?”

“I know all those terms and their definitions,” she admits freely, “but I can’t say that I have an intimate acquaintance with any of the guns they describe.”

He nods again. “Then how can you tell my constituents, most of whom grew up with guns and live by guns, which guns they can use to protect their families?”

“How? By doing my research and knowing that fully and semi automatic guns cause far, far more deaths each year than their single-shot counterparts. By looking at polling that says most hunters would not be adversely affected if they were limited to single-shot guns to feed their families. By talking to experts who tell me the risk of fatal accidental shootings drops when only single-shot guns are in the home. That’s how, Senator.” She pulls back all attempts to look doe-eyed and fixes him with as steady and confident a gaze as she gives Josh when he argues for another donut.

Sloan looks taken aback, but he gathers himself quickly. “And you’ve done all of this?”

“I’m happy to share the polling data and summaries of the expert opinions,” she offers. “Have you considered any of this information?”

“I have constituents to think of.” There’s a brief moment where he lets something slip, and though he covers it easily, she won’t forget that she saw it, and she won’t forget that it probably wasn’t a calculated move on his part.

Donna folds her hands neatly in her lap. “‘A representative owes the people not only his industry, but his judgment, and he betrays them if he sacrifices it to their opinion.’ Edmund Burke, British Parliament. Senator, the White House will never betray your good judgment to your constituents if that is your wish, but we expect your vote on our side.” She stands and slides her bag over her shoulder. “Have a good day, Senator.”

As she reaches the grand doors to his office, her name reaches her ears. She pauses, then turns slowly with a questioning look on her face. “Don’t let Josh put you back in the bullpen,” the Senator says softly. “I have a deal for you.”

“And it is?” She leaves no time for further games; Leo’s expecting a report in five minutes, and it’ll take at least that long to get back to the White House.

“You don’t reveal my true feelings on guns, and I won’t reveal your true expertise. We tell anyone who asks that you made me a deal I couldn’t resist.”

A smile spreads across her face as much from the compliments as from the proposal. “Deal.”

“Let me walk you out,” he offers, already halfway around his desk. “How is Josh, by the way?”

She slides her manipulative skills under the familiar cover of being Josh’s assistant as the Senator opens the office doors. “Well, there’s not much I can say, of course, but he’s doing well. His new service dog is a collie, and I can’t wait to meet her. She sounds wonderful.”

“Well, give him my best. Congress is enjoying the reprieve, but we look forward to his return nonetheless.” Sloan winks at her, and she’s not entirely sure how to take it, so she just smiles and nods.

“I will. Thank you again for the debate, Senator. You’ve given me a lot to think about."

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably the only attempt I'll make at writing overt politics, because this took a lot of help & I still don't understand the consequences and such of this sort of a bill. I try so hard to understand politics! I've probably watched all of TWW at least ten times, I've been involved in several political campaigns on a local scale, I study political positions and bills, and I still have to get someone to dumb it all way down for me. So please forgive me if anything doesn't sound right or this fic doesn't work for you! All I can say is that I've given it my best shot & recognized that this is beyond me for the future.


End file.
